Letter: Personal rights supersede risks?

Thursday

Jun 20, 2013 at 6:15 PMJun 20, 2013 at 6:16 PM

I am writing this letter in response to the reader who wrote “Playground for All — even smokers.”

To the Editor:

I am writing this letter in response to the reader who wrote “Playground for All — even smokers.” Ms. Brock complains about her right to smoke and laments that she can no longer do so wherever she pleases … to include our city’s playgrounds.

I am a big proponent of individual rights, as long as those rights do not infringe upon the rights of others or cause them harm. But that is not the case here.

As I read her letter I am left to wonder, is Ms. Brock really unaware of the well-proven dangers of second-hand smoke? Is she really unaware that children are especially vulnerable? Or is her “right” more important to her?

Ms. Brock complains that “people have too much time on their hands and feel the need to try and force their personal agendas down others throats.”

I totally agree.

Anyone who has enough time to defend and complain about their “right” to smoke on a children’s playground definitely has too much time on their hands.